A Match Made in Innistrad
by Natalie Dertoten
Summary: Two protectors together on a dark, hostile plane. If they can put aside their differences for the common good, they might find they have more in common than they think. Eventual Elspeth x Avacyn.


The smell of blood, and the din of clashing swords were the first things the planeswalker noticed as she appeared within this new plane. All around her, as her form busily reconstructed itself from the aether, the furious roar of a battle in progress assaulted her ears, while her quickly substantiating body was jostled this way and that. As soon as her whole body was fully formed, the young woman hurriedly fought her way to a nearby building and climbed to the roof. The thatched cottage was low and proved easily mounted. From this new vantage point, she deduced that she had planeswalked into the middle of a small village engulfed in a battle between a band of humans, and what appeared to be large, bipedal wolves.

The second thing she ascertained from what she could see was that the humans were losing. Badly.

Now, Elspeth Tirel could not claim to know anything about either side in this conflict, their morality, or even their reasons for fighting in the first place. However, a long history of combat experience would generally lead her to the idea that a group of humans being utterly devastated by hulking, inhuman monstrosities were the victims, and worthy of her assistance. Quickly observing the carnage, she unsheathed her sword, the handle extending to make it resemble more of a pike, and swatted back several of the beasts whose attention she had acquired. She immediately leapt towards the nearest band of humans she could find and began barking orders, with the confused townsfolk of the makeshift militia complying without question. None of them had the time to question who this strangely attired woman was. The impromptu general commanded her troops with authority, organizing them into several tactical formations to drive back the wolf-creatures and rally the rest of the survivors. Not one to hide behind her forces though, she was also the most ferocious soldier on the battlefield, cutting a swath of destruction all around her as she shouted her orders.

However, she was still a fighting a losing battle. The wolves had recovered from her resurgence and continued to wear away at the paltry human battalion, cutting them down one soul at a time. Elspeth furrowed her brow, trying to think of a strategy to end this battle as quickly as possible. Her mind was drawing a blank, and time was running out, her forces slowly but steadily dwindling against the unbridled onslaught of the wolf-beings. She briefly contemplating planeswalking away and leaving them to die, but she knew she could never condemn these people to such a fate. Her hope fading fast and her soldiers dying around her, she grimaced before realizing that the wolves seemed to be backing off somewhat. A jubilant cry rang out from her soldiers, their desperation replaced with hope.

"It's Avacyn! She's here! We're saved!"

She scrunched her brows together in confusion as she scanned the horizon, trying to find the one whose arrival her squad was proclaiming. It took her several moments to notice the bright glow descending from the heavens, and wondered what manner of creature this Avacyn would turn out to be.

Her curiosity was answered as the glow dimmed, and the brilliant form of an angel came within her field of view. With a long spear of shining silver and wings made of pure light, the divine being made swift and quickly drove off the wolf-beings. Elspeth breathed a large sigh and visibly sagged before looking back up and finding herself face to face with the angel herself. Startled, she stepped back and quickly took stock of the imposing figure before her.

One of the first things the young planeswalker noticed was the majestic beauty of the angel, platinum blonde locks and an absolutely perfect figure contrasting starkly with her own bland body and tresses currently covered in the grime of battle. She also noticed that her eyes contained neither pupils nor irises, her blank white gaze intimidating and cold.

"Who are you?" Avacyn demanded, her voice harsh, but melodious, and the planeswalker started slightly. '_Wow, what a great welcome to this already marvellous plane_.' she monologue to herself before coughing into her hand.

"My name is Elspeth Tirel." The shorter of the two stated simply. "And I assume you must be Avacyn." The angel nodded curtly.

"Where did you come from." Avacyn demanded again, and Elspeth sighed exasperatedly.

"You really have a way with words, you know that?" she replied. The angel just cocked her head slightly, her brow softening somewhat. "Anyways, I'm not... I'm not from here, let's just say that." The angel's gaze hardened again.

"Explain how you materialized out of thin air." Avacyn once more commanded, drawing a couple of beads of sweat from the younger. "I could not even sense your soul's presence a until a short while ago. How did you appear from nothing?" She paused for a moment. "Are you perhaps, a planeswalker?" The knight-errant stuttered a few times, trying to devise a convincing lie.

"Tha-that's none of your damn business!" She instead retorted. "I don't answer to you." The angel's scowl deepened.

"You do as long as you are within my master's domain." Avacyn stated quickly. Elspeth tensed, ready to flee or fight in an instant.

"Oh really." Elspeth replied, keeping her tone as even as possible. "And just who is this master that you speak of?"

"Sorin Markov, the lord of Innistrad. And as long as you are here, I would ask that you abide the laws of our home." The angel explained smoothly. "He desires I bring to him all who pass through his realm. However, as he is not currently here, I shall take it upon myself to accompany you until you leave, or he returns." The knight-errant deliberated for a moment, wondering whether to simply find a new plane to explore, or comply so as to allow herself to get a feel for this particular world.

"Fine." She sighed. "Stick around if you like. Might as well stay a while, since I got such a warm welcome." She drawled. "First thing's first, I need a place to sleep." The angel nodded briskly.

"Very well. Thraben is several hours away, so if we keep a steady pace, we should make it by sundown."

She started away swiftly, and Elspeth quickly fell into step behind her, the pair on their way towards Gavony's capital.


End file.
